If there is one type of player that defensive line coach Kelvin Bell likes, it is lengthy players who take up a lot of space.
A prime example of Bell's ideal player was former Hawkeye defensive lineman Yahya Black, who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After the 2025 season, the defensive line is losing multiple players, including Max Llewellyn (graduation), Ethan Hurkett (graduation), Aaron Graves (graduation), Jonah Pace (graduation), and Brian Allen Jr. (transfer portal).
With the massive amount of talent the Hawkeyes are losing before next season, the coaching staff has been very active in the transfer portal in an attempt to strengthen the defensive line.
The program has already signed transfer defensive lineman Brice Stevenson from Holy Cross and Kahmari Brown from Elon, and is now connected to a young defensive line transfer from Northern Illinois.
Former @CoachLeonard3 Rochester and NIU @NIU_Football DE Lance Ingold @LanceIngold is in the transfer portal and has an official visit set to Iowa this week more here from @BlairASanderson https://t.co/uQujiOc2xO
— Timothy “EDGYTIM” OHalloran (@EDGYTIM) January 8, 2026
According to On3 Sports, transfer defensive lineman Lance Ingold has scheduled a visit to Iowa City this week.
Ingold, a Rochester, Illinois native, has played two seasons for the Northern Illinois Huskies, tallying 17 total tackles, including two tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks last season in a reserve role.
If Ingold joins the Hawkeyes, he will have three years of eligibility remaining, and has tremendous upside with his size and length.
Ingold's size and length would be a huge asset to the defensive line
Iowa has traditionally had an elite run stopper on the edge or in the middle of the defensive line, and with multiple players leaving the program, Ingold potentially gives Kelvin Bell and Phil Parker size (six-foot-six, 255 pounds) and length on the outside.
Ingold has been primarily a reserve during his short college career to this point, but with three years of eligibility remaining, he has the potential to make an impact on the defensive line in the future.
While Ingold is not the "home run" signing most Iowa fans are hoping for, he provides depth at a position the Hawkeyes desperately need next season.